Bankston History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Bankston comes from when the family resided close to a slope, or a hillside. The surname is derived from the Old English word banke. 1

Early Origins of the Bankston family

The surname Bankston was first found in various counties and shires throughout Britain. One of the first on record was Simon Bankes of Bank Newton in Craven, Yorkshire c. 1200. Walter del Banck was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1297 and Metthew Banke was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. 1

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Nicholas del Bancke; Adam del Bank; and Magota de Bancke. 2

One branch of the family was found at Winstanley in Lancashire from early times. "In the reign of James I., the manor belonged to James Bancks, a descendant of the Bankes, of Bank Newton, in Craven; in whose family the property continued until about 1731, when, by marriage with the heiress of William Bankes, it passed to the family of Holme, who eventually changed their name to Bankes. Winstanley Hall, existing in the 16th century, is the seat of the Bankes family, and stands in a spacious and delightful park: it has been lately re-edified and improved." 3

Early History of the Bankston family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bankston research. Another 163 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1410, 1560, 1580, 1586, 1588, 1589, 1590, 1598, 1600, 1606, 1627, 1631, 1637, 1644, 1659, 1668, 1677, 1696, 1699, 1743, 1768, 1784, 1820 and 1973 are included under the topic Early Bankston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bankston Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Bankston has been recorded under many different variations, including Banke, Banck, Bancks, Banckes, Banks, Bankes and others.

Early Notables of the Bankston family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society; William Bankes, High Sheriff of Lancaster, 1784; Sir John Bankes (1589-1644), Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas to Charles I, who held a family seat at Corfe Castle in Dorset; Sir John Banks, 1st Baronet FRS (1627-1699), an English merchant and politician, one of the wealthiest merchants in London, Fellow of the Royal Society in 1668; and his son, Caleb Banks (1659-1696), an English politician; and Sir Ralph Bankes (1631-1677), MP for Corfe, responsible for the building of the new family seat at Kingston Lacy.Richard Banke...
Another 123 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bankston Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bankston Ranking

In the United States, the name Bankston is the 3,638^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 4

Bankston migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Bankston or a variant listed above:

Bankston Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

W. Bankston, aged 19, who settled in America, in 1920
J. Bankston, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States, in 1921

Contemporary Notables of the name Bankston (post 1700) +

Louis Paul Bankston (d. 2022), better known as King Louie Bankston, an American rock and roll musician from New Orleans, known for his work in the Royal Pendletons, The Persuaders, The Exploding Hearts, and The King Louie One Man Band; he released 53 records in the vinyl format
Wilborn Everett Bankston (1893-1970), American Major League Baseball outfielder
Wesley Wade Bankston (b. 1983), retired American Major League Baseball first baseman
Jesse Homer Bankston Sr. (1907-2010), American politician within the Democratic Party of Louisiana
Warren Stephen Bankston (b. 1947), retired professional American football player

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/